THE APPEAL | Janice Hallett
01.25.2022 | Atria Books
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and with an experimental treatment costing a tremendous sum, their castmates rally to raise the money to give her a chance at survival. But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy—or of the good intentions of those involved. As tension grows within the community, things come to a shocking head at the explosive dress rehearsal. The next day, a dead body is found, and soon, an arrest is made. In the run-up to the trial, two young lawyers sift through the material—emails, messages, letters—with a growing suspicion that the killer may be hiding in plain sight. The evidence is all there, between the lines, waiting to be uncovered.
Before picking up The Appeal I had never read an epistolary novel. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it’s a story told entirely through different pieces of media, such as emails, text messages, transcripts, and newspaper articles. I was completely blown away by how Hallett put this together! My main concern was that I would be confused or not understand the plot, but it was so easy to follow along.
What made things extra special was that I felt like I truly knew our cast of characters. There are a handful that play an essential role in driving the plot forward and it’s through their unique voices that the reader gains pieces of not only the overall puzzle, but clues about them as individuals. There were a few twists that I saw coming, but overall Hallett managed to keep me guessing.
I’ve officially added Hallett to my auto-buy author list and I’m hoping to pick up my next story from her in January with The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels.
What Jess Reads 